Deadline reports that Dermot Mulroney’s historical drama Kent State has been bought by Briarcliff Entertainment. The movie that’s based on the disaster that unfolded at Kent State University will start shooting in Columbus, Georgia, in November. The movie is based on real events and attempts to depict the tale of a family’s hidden history against the harsh reality of a pivotal time in American history. On May 4, 1970, members of the Ohio National Guard opened fire on a throng of nonviolent student demonstrators at Kent State University.
The students were marching against the presence of National Guard members on campus and against the United States’ growing participation in the Vietnam War in Cambodia. Approximately 67 shots were fired by 28 National Guardsmen in a span of 13 seconds, killing 4 students and wounding 7. As a result of the massacre, there was widespread indignation at universities around the United States, and more than 4 million students engaged in walkouts at various institutions, making it the biggest student strike in US history. The film is told from Will McCormack’s point of view across two time periods and seeks to answer “the question of not just what happened then, but why these kinds of events continue to happen,” as stated by Tom Ortenberg of Briarcliff, who stated that the story of the massacre “needs to be told and surprisingly never has.”
We can’t wait to get it on the big screen and use it to teach and motivate people of all ages. Starring with Mulroney are Clancy Brown (The Shawshank Redemption), Aksel Hennie (The Trip), Christopher Backus (Rogue Hostage, Jett), and Jacqueline Emerson (The Hunger Games), as well as Christopher Ammanuel, and Andrew Ortenberg. Due to the film’s stellar cast, viewers may anticipate a nuanced yet powerful depiction of the tragic event. Kent State is written and directed by Karen Slate, who previously wrote and directed the short movie The Failure. Executive producers Jeffrey Aborn and his Duality Capital LLC, Kevin Beer of Beer Money Worldwide, Stanley Preschutti, Tom Ortenberg, and Jessica Rose produce the feature film alongside producers Quincy Morris (Luke Cage, Wake Up Call) and Kristen Moser (Closure, Down for Life).
There is currently no confirmed date for the film’s release, although it will likely hit theatres in 2023.